NFL Network is in the process of unveiling its annual Top 100, as voted on by other players. Donte Whitner did not make the cut, and as a result, he thinks there’s something fishy about the voting process.
Whitner, the safety who moved from the 49ers to the Browns in free agency this year, took to Twitter on Thursday night and accused NFL Network of “lies” for saying that players vote on the Top 100. When a fan expressed surprise that Whitner didn’t make the Top 100 cut, Whitner answered, “it’s ok. . . . players don’t vote on that. Nor does coaches.”
“No one in the 49ers locker room voted! None of my friends around the league voted!” Whitner wrote.
Whoever runs the NFL Network Twitter account decided to engage with Whitner and insist that NFL Network itself doesn’t vote, but Whitner wasn’t having it. Whitner asked, “who voted? I didn’t get an answer.” Whitner also said of NFL Network, “they want fans to believe players vote.”
Whitner isn’t the first player to question the validity of the Top 100 ranking, and he won’t be the last. The “Top 100" list serves as a conversation stimulator during the dullest times of the offseason, but it shouldn’t be taken more seriously than that.